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US President Donald Trump has confirmed the deployment of advanced Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine as part of a new plan to bolster the country's defenses against ongoing Russian attacks. However, the White House leader stressed that this assistance will not include funds from the US budget.
“We’re going to send them some because they need protection. The European Union will pay. We’re not going to pay anything,” Trump said, without elaborating on the number of systems to be sent.
The proposed plan would see European countries buy American weapons and military equipment, which would then be distributed to Ukraine through NATO channels. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is in Washington today to coordinate the details of the scheme, where he will meet with Trump and other senior US officials. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is also in the US capital for institutional meetings on defence and aid to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the situation on the ground remains extremely tense. Ukraine is facing constant nightly Russian drone and missile attacks, often hitting civilian areas. Near the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) heard hundreds of small arms fire for about an hour, raising the alarm for a serious escalation of the conflict. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi warned of a threat to nuclear security, calling for an immediate halt to military operations in this highly sensitive area.
The developments come as Trump is announcing a new plan to arm Ukraine, including offensive equipment, in a marked shift from his previous, more reserved stance on direct American intervention in the conflict, Axios reported, citing two sources familiar with the situation in the White House.
The US president has increased his critical tone towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of rejecting any attempt at a ceasefire agreement and of aiming for complete military victory in Ukraine.
“Putin says nice things, then bombs everything in the evening. But that’s a problem and I don’t like it,” Trump said in a statement to the media.
He added that the United States would supply Ukraine with very sophisticated weapons, including Patriot systems, but on condition that the cost is fully covered by Europe. According to him, this is a model that should have been implemented earlier.
"I'm going to meet with the NATO Secretary General, but basically we're going to send them various very sophisticated military equipment. They're going to pay us 100% for it. I don't think Biden has ever asked for that. But we want to ask them for 350 billion. Europe agrees to a hundred billion. That's a lot of money, 100 billion... So as we send equipment, they're going to reimburse us for that equipment. Doesn't that sound good? That should have been the case a long time ago," he declared.
According to sources close to the Trump administration, other measures are also being discussed, including new expanded sanctions on Russia, as well as increased military and logistical aid to Ukraine in the coming months.
While Trump is holding meetings in Washington, US special envoy Keith Kellogg is in Ukraine, where he was warmly welcomed by Ukrainian President Zelensky's chief of staff. Published photos show a symbolic hug between the two. According to official reports, during this visit, security issues for Ukraine as well as new sanctions packages against Russia will be discussed.
In this new geopolitical context, it seems that Europe's role will be decisive, not only in diplomatic and strategic terms, but also financially, in the face of an American administration that aims to equally share the burden of the war with transatlantic allies.
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